英语专业考研_语言学复习题附答案.docx

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1、英语专业考研语言学复习题附答案1 Chapter IIntroductionI. Decide whether each of the following statements is True or False:1. Linguistics is generally defined as the scientific study of language.2. Linguistics studies particular language, not languages in general.3. A scientific study of language is based on what th

2、e linguist thinks.4. In the study of linguistics, hypotheses formed should be based on language facts and checked against the observed facts.5. General linguistics is generally the study of language as a whole.6. General linguistics, which relates itself to the research of other areas, studies the b

3、asic concepts, theories, descriptions, models and methods applicable in any linguistic study.7. Phonetics is different from phonology in that the latter studies the combinations of the sounds to convey meaning in communication.8. Morphology studies how words can be formed to produce meaningful sente

4、nces.9. The study of the ways in which morphemes can be combined to form words is called morphology.10. Syntax is different from morphology in that the former not only studies the morphemes, but also the combination of morphemes into words and words into sentences.11. The study of meaning in languag

5、e is known as semantics.12. Both semantics and pragmatics study meanings.13. Pragmatics is different from semantics in that pragmatics studies meaning not in isolation, but in context.14. Social changes can often bring about language changes.15. Sociolinguistics is the study of language in relation

6、to society.16. Modem linguistics is mostly prescriptive, but sometimes descriptive.17. Modern linguistics is different from traditional grammar.18. A diachronic study of language is the description of language at some point in time.19. Modem linguistics regards the written language as primary, not t

7、he written language.20. The distinction between competence and performance was proposed by F. de Saussure.II. Fill in each of the following blanks with one word which begins with the letter given:21. Chomsky defines “ competence as the ideal users k of the rules ofhis language.22. Langue refers to t

8、he a linguistic system shared by all the members of aspeech community while the parole is the concrete use of the conventions and application of the rules.23. D is one of the design features of human language which refers to thephenomenon that language consists of two levels: a lower level of meanin

9、gless individual sounds and a higher level of meaningful units.24. Language is a system of a vocal symbols used for human communication.25. The discipline that studies the rules governing the formation of words into permissible sentences in languages is called s.26. Human capacity for language has a

10、 g basis, but the details of language haveto be taught and learned.27. P refers to the realization of langue in actual use.28. Findings in linguistic studies can often be applied to the settlement of some practical problems. The study of such applications is generally known as a linguistics.29. Lang

11、uage is p in that it makes possible the construction and interpretation of new signals by its users. In other words, they can produce and understand an infinitely large number of sentences which they have never heard before.30. Linguistics is generally defined as the s study of language.III. There a

12、re four choices following each statement. Mark the choice that can best complete the statement.31. If a linguistic study describes and analyzes the language people actually use, it is said to be.A. prescriptiveB. analyticC. descriptiveD. linguistic32.Which of the following is not a design feature of

13、 human language?A. ArbitrarinessB. DisplacementC. DualityD. Meaningfulness33. Modern linguistics regards the written language as.A. primary B. correct C. secondary D. stable34. In modern linguistics, speech is regarded as more basic than writing, becauseA. in linguistic evolution, speech is prior to

14、 writingB. speech plays a greater role than writing in terms of the amount of information conveyed.C. speech is always the way in which every native speaker acquires his mother tongue D. All of the above35. A historical study of language is a study of language.A. synchronicB. diachronicC. prescripti

15、veD. comparative36.Saussure took a (n) view of language, while Chomsky looks at language from a point of view.A. sociological.psychological B. psychological.sociologicalC. applied. pragmaticD.semantic and linguistic37. According to F. de Saussure,refers to the abstract linguistic system shared by al

16、l the members of a speech community.A. parole B. performance C. langue D. Language38. Language is said to be arbitrary because there is no logical connection between and meanings.A. senseB. sounds C. objects D. ideas39. Language can be used to refer to contexts removed from the immediate situations

17、of the speaker. This feature is called,A. displacement B. duality C. flexibility D. cultural transmission40. The details of any language system is passed on from one generation to the next through, rather than by instinct.A. learning B. teaching C. books D. both A and BIV. Define the following terms

18、:41. Linguistics 42. Phonology 43. Syntax 44. Pragmatics45. Psycholinguistics 46. Language 47. Phonetics 48. Morphology46. Semantics 50. Sociolinguistics 51. Applied Linguistics 52.Arbitrariness53 Productivity 54. Displacement55.Duality56. Design Features57. Competence 58 Performance 59. Langue 60 P

19、aroleV. Answer the following questions as comprehensively as possible. Give examples for illustration if necessary:61. Language is generally defined as a system of arbitrary vocal symbols used for human communication. Explain it in detail.62. What are the design features of human language? Illustrat

20、e them with examples.63. How is modem linguistics different from traditional grammar?64. How do you understand the distinction between a synchronic study and a diachronic study?65. Why does modem linguistics regard the spoken form of language as primary, not the written?66. What are the major distin

21、ctions between langue and parole?67. How do you understand competence and performance ?68. Saussures distinction between langue and parole seems similar to Chomskys distinction between competence and performance. What do you think are their major differences?69. Do you think human language is entire

22、ly arbitrary? Why?I. Decide whether each of the following statements is True or False:LT 2.F3.F4.T5.T6.F7.T8.F9.T10.Fll.T 12.T13.T 14.T15.T16.F17.T 18.F19.F20.FH. Fill in each of the following blanks with one word which begins with the letter given:21. knowledge 22. abstract 23. Duality 24. arbitrar

23、y25. syntax 26.genetic 27. Parole 28. applied 29. productive30. scientific (or systematic)III. There are four choices following each statement. Mark the choice that can best complete the statement.3LC 32.D33.C34.D35.B36.A37.C38.B39.A40.DIV. Define the following terms:41. Linguistics: Linguistics is

24、generally defined as the scientific study of language.42. Phonology: The study of how sounds are put together and used in communication is called phonology.43. Syntax: The study of how morphemes and words are combined to form sentences is called syntax.44. Pragmatics: The study of meaning in context

25、 of use is called pragmatics.45. Psycholinguistics: The study of language with reference to the workings of mind is called psycholinguistics.46. Language: Language is a system of arbitrary vocal symbols used for human communication.47. Phonetics: The study of sounds which are used in linguistic comm

26、unication is called phonetics.48. Morphology: The study of the way in which morphemes are arranged to form words is called morphology.49. Semantics: The study of meaning in language is called semantics.50. Sociolinguistics: The study of language with reference to society is called sociolinguistics.5

27、1. Applied linguistics: In a narrow sense, applied linguistics refers to the application of linguistic principles and theories to language teaching and learning, especially the teaching of foreign and second languages. In a broad sense, it refers to the application of linguistic findings to the solu

28、tion of practical problems such as the recovery of speech ability.52. Arbitrariness: It is one of the design features of language. It means that there is no logical connection between meanings and sounds53. Productivity: Language is productive or creative in that it makes possible the con-struction

29、and interpretation of new signals by its users.54. Displacement: Displacement means that language can be used to refer to things which are present or not present, real or imagined matters in the past, present, or future, or in far-away places. In other words, language can be used to refer to context

30、s removed from the immediate situations of the speaker55. Duality: The duality nature of language means that language is a system, which consists of two sets of structure, or two levels, one of sounds and the other of meanings.56. Design features: Design features refer to the defining properties of

31、human language that distinguish it from any animal system of communication57. Competence: Chomsky defines competence as the ideal users knowledge of the rules of his language,58. Performance: performance is the actual realization of the knowl-edge of the rules in linguistic communication.59. langue

32、: Langue refers to the abstract linguistic system shared by all the members of a speech community; Langue is the set of conventions and rules which language users all have to follow; Langue is relatively stable, it does not change frequently60. Parole: Parole refers to the realization of langue in a

33、ctual use; parole is the concrete use of the conventions and the application of the rules; parole varies from person to person, and from situation to situation.V. Answer the following questions as comprehensively as possible. Give examples for illustration if necessary:61. Language is generally defi

34、ned as a system of arbitrary vocal symbols used for human communication. Explain it in detail.First of all, language is a system, because elements of language are combined according to rules. Secondly, language is arbitrary because there is no intrinsic connection between form and meaning, or betwee

35、n the sign and what it stands for. Different languages have different words for the same object in the world. This fact is a good illustration of the arbitrary nature of language. This also explains the symbolic nature of language: words are just symbols; they are associated with objects, actions, i

36、deas, etc. by convention . Thirdly, language is vocal because the primary medium is sound for all languages, no matter how well - developed their writing systems are.The term human” in the definition indicates that language is possessed by human beings only and is very different from the communicati

37、on systems of other living creatures. The term communication” means that language makes it possible for its users to talk to each other and fulfill their communicative needs.62. What are the design features of human language? Illustrate them with examples. 1) ArbitrarinessAs mentioned earlier, the a

38、rbitrary property of language means that there is no logical connection between meanings and sounds. For instance, there is no necessary relationship between the word elephant and the animal it symbolizes. In addition, different sounds are used to refer to the same object in different languages, and

39、 even within the same language, the same sound does not refer to the same thing. However, language is not entirely arbitrary. There are words which are created in the imitation of sounds by sounds, such as crash, bang in English. Besides, some compound words are also not entirely arbitrary. But the

40、non-arbitrary words are quite limited in number. The arbitrary nature of language makes it possible fbr language to have an unlimited source of expressions.2) ProductivityLanguage is productive or creative in that it makes possible the construction and interpretation of new signals by its users. Thi

41、s is why they can produce and understand an infinitely large number of sentences, including sentences that they have never said or heard before. They can send messages which no one else has ever sent before.Productivity is unique to human language. Most animal communication systems appear to be high

42、ly restricted with respect to the number of different signals that their users can send and receive.3) DualityThe duality nature of language means that language is a system, which consists of two sets of structure, or two levels, one of sounds and the other of meanings. At the lower or the basic lev

43、el, there is the structure of sounds, which are meaningless, discrete, individual sounds. But the sounds of language can be combined according to rules into units of meaning such as morphemes and words, which, at the higher level, can be arranged into sentences. This duality of structure or double a

44、rticulation of language enables its users to talk about anything within their knowledge. No animal communication system has duality or even comes near to possessing it.4) DisplacementDisplacement means that language can be used to refer to things which are present or not present, real or imagined ma

45、tters in the past, present, or future, or in far-away places. In other words, language can be used to refer to contexts removed from the immediate situations of the speaker. Animal calls are mainly uttered in response to immediate changes of situation.5) Cultural transmissionHuman beings were born w

46、ith the ability to acquire language, but the details of any language are not genetically transmitted or passed down by instinct. They have to be taught and learned, but animal call systems are genetically transmitted.63. How is modem linguistics different from traditional grammar?Traditional gram-ma

47、r is prescriptive; it is based on high (religious, literary) written language. It sets grammatical rules and imposes the rules on language users. But Modern linguistics is descriptive; It collects authentic, and mainly spoken language data and then it studies and describes the data in an objective a

48、nd scientific way.64. How do you understand the distinction between a synchronic study and a diachronic study?The description of a language at some point in time is a Synchronic study; the description of a language as it changes through time is a diachronic study. A synchronic study of language describes a language as it is at some particular point in time, while a diachronic study of language is the study of the historical development of language over a period of time.65. Why does modem linguistics regard the spoken form of language as primary, not the written?First, the spoken fo